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Khan K, Jalal K, Khan A, Al-Harrasi A, Uddin R. Comparative Metabolic Pathways Analysis and Subtractive Genomics Profiling to Prioritize Potential Drug Targets Against Streptococcus pneumoniae. Front Microbiol 2022; 12:796363. [PMID: 35222301 PMCID: PMC8866961 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2021.796363] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/16/2021] [Accepted: 12/28/2021] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Streptococcus pneumoniae is a notorious pathogen that affects ∼450 million people worldwide and causes up to four million deaths per annum. Despite availability of antibiotics (i.e., penicillin, doxycycline, or clarithromycin) and conjugate vaccines (e.g., PCVs), it is still challenging to treat because of its drug resistance ability. The rise of antibiotic resistance in S. pneumoniae is a major source of concern across the world. Computational subtractive genomics is one of the most applied techniques in which the whole proteome of the bacterial pathogen is gradually reduced to a limited number of potential therapeutic targets. Whole-genome sequencing has greatly reduced the time required and provides more opportunities for drug target identification. The goal of this work is to evaluate and analyze metabolic pathways in serotype 14 of S. pneumonia to identify potential drug targets. In the present study, 47 potent drug targets were identified against S. pneumonia by employing the computational subtractive genomics approach. Among these, two proteins are prioritized (i.e., 4-oxalocrotonate tautomerase and Sensor histidine kinase uniquely present in S. pneumonia) as novel drug targets and selected for further structure-based studies. The identified proteins may provide a platform for the discovery of a lead drug candidate that may be capable of inhibiting these proteins and, therefore, could be helpful in minimizing the associated risk related to the drug-resistant S. pneumoniae. Finally, these enzymatic proteins could be of prime interest against S. pneumoniae to design rational targeted therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kanwal Khan
- Dr. Panjwani Center for Molecular Medicine and Drug Research, International Center for Chemical and Biological Sciences, University of Karachi, Karachi, Pakistan
| | - Khurshid Jalal
- HEJ Research Institute of Chemistry, International Center for Chemical and Biological Sciences, University of Karachi, Karachi, Pakistan
| | - Ajmal Khan
- Natural and Medical Sciences Research Center, University of Nizwa, Nizwa, Oman
| | - Ahmed Al-Harrasi
- Natural and Medical Sciences Research Center, University of Nizwa, Nizwa, Oman
| | - Reaz Uddin
- Dr. Panjwani Center for Molecular Medicine and Drug Research, International Center for Chemical and Biological Sciences, University of Karachi, Karachi, Pakistan
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de Graaf H, Payne RO, Taylor I, Miura K, Long CA, Elias SC, Zaric M, Minassian AM, Silk SE, Li L, Poulton ID, Baker M, Draper SJ, Gbesemete D, Brendish NJ, Martins F, Marini A, Mekhaiel D, Edwards NJ, Roberts R, Vekemans J, Moyle S, Faust SN, Berrie E, Lawrie AM, Hill F, Hill AVS, Biswas S. Safety and Immunogenicity of ChAd63/MVA Pfs25-IMX313 in a Phase I First-in-Human Trial. Front Immunol 2021; 12:694759. [PMID: 34335606 PMCID: PMC8318801 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2021.694759] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/13/2021] [Accepted: 06/29/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Transmission blocking vaccines targeting the sexual-stages of the malaria parasite could play a major role to achieve elimination and eradication of malaria. The Plasmodium falciparum Pfs25 protein (Pfs25) is the most clinically advanced candidate sexual-stage antigen. IMX313, a complement inhibitor C4b-binding protein that forms heptamers with the antigen fused to it, improve antibody responses. This is the first time that viral vectors have been used to induce antibodies in humans against an antigen that is expressed only in the mosquito vector. Methods Clinical trial looking at safety and immunogenicity of two recombinant viral vectored vaccines encoding Pfs25-IMX313 in healthy malaria-naive adults. Replication-deficient chimpanzee adenovirus serotype 63 (ChAd63) and the attenuated orthopoxvirus modified vaccinia virus Ankara (MVA), encoding Pfs25-IMX313, were delivered by the intramuscular route in a heterologous prime-boost regimen using an 8-week interval. Safety data and samples for immunogenicity assays were taken at various time-points. Results The reactogenicity of the vaccines was similar to that seen in previous trials using the same viral vectors encoding other antigens. The vaccines were immunogenic and induced both antibody and T cell responses against Pfs25, but significant transmission reducing activity (TRA) was not observed in most volunteers by standard membrane feeding assay. Conclusion Both vaccines were well tolerated and demonstrated a favorable safety profile in malaria-naive adults. However, the transmission reducing activity of the antibodies generated were weak, suggesting the need for an alternative vaccine formulation. Trial Registration Clinicaltrials.gov NCT02532049.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hans de Graaf
- NIHR Clinical Research Facility, University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust and Faculty of Medicine, University of Southampton, Southampton, United Kingdom
| | - Ruth O Payne
- The Jenner Institute, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Iona Taylor
- The Jenner Institute, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Kazutoyo Miura
- Laboratory of Malaria and Vector Research, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Rockville, MD, United States
| | - Carol A Long
- Laboratory of Malaria and Vector Research, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Rockville, MD, United States
| | - Sean C Elias
- The Jenner Institute, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Marija Zaric
- The Jenner Institute, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | | | - Sarah E Silk
- The Jenner Institute, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Lee Li
- The Jenner Institute, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Ian D Poulton
- The Jenner Institute, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Megan Baker
- The Jenner Institute, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Simon J Draper
- The Jenner Institute, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Diane Gbesemete
- NIHR Clinical Research Facility, University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust and Faculty of Medicine, University of Southampton, Southampton, United Kingdom
| | - Nathan J Brendish
- NIHR Clinical Research Facility, University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust and Faculty of Medicine, University of Southampton, Southampton, United Kingdom
| | - Filipa Martins
- NIHR Clinical Research Facility, University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust and Faculty of Medicine, University of Southampton, Southampton, United Kingdom
| | - Arianna Marini
- The Jenner Institute, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - David Mekhaiel
- The Jenner Institute, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Nick J Edwards
- The Jenner Institute, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Rachel Roberts
- The Jenner Institute, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | | | - Sarah Moyle
- Clinical Biomanufacturing Facility, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Saul N Faust
- NIHR Clinical Research Facility, University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust and Faculty of Medicine, University of Southampton, Southampton, United Kingdom
| | - Eleanor Berrie
- Clinical Biomanufacturing Facility, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Alison M Lawrie
- The Jenner Institute, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | | | - Adrian V S Hill
- The Jenner Institute, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Sumi Biswas
- The Jenner Institute, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
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